System of feeding fuel to internal-combustion engines by means of pressure



Aug. 20, 1929. E, ROCKWELL 1,725,209

SYSTEM .OF FEEDING FUEL TO INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES BY MEANS OF .PREssURE Original Filed June 4, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Aug. 20, 1929. ROCKWELL 1,725,209

SYSTEM OF FEEDING FUEL TO INTERNAh COMBUSTION ENGINES BY MEANS OF PRESSURE Original Filed June 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l I l I I I I I I l i l I @J \Llwmmim Patented Aug. 20, 1929.

1,725,209 PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD A. ROCKWELL, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO STEWART-WARNER COB POBATION, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF VIRGINIA.

SYSTEM OF FEmING TO INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES l3Y MEANS OF PRESSURE.

Application filed June 4, 1928, Serial No. 643,180. Renewed October 15 1927.

vMy invention relates particularl to an apparatus by means of which liquid uel may be fed to internal combustion engines in an effective manner with the aid of pressure.

The object of my invention-is to provide an apparatus of the above character which is simple in construction and effective in action and which has many advantages. The object of my invention is particularly to utilize the 'pressure from an engine cylinder for the purpose of feeding the fuel thereto but in such a way that the motor isbalanced notwithstandin the removal of some of the pressure gases roin a cylinder therein. This maybe accomplished in accordance with my invention by increasing the volume of the gases in the particular cylinder from which the pressure is obtained and preferably by introducing into said cylinder a larger quan- 2 tity of gases than the other cylinders have. In the preferred form of'my invention the gases thus introduced in excess into the cylinder from which the pressure is obtained are of an explosive character although this is not necessary. A further object is to interposea column of a gaseous medium in the line between the pressure cylinder and the a fuel thus avoiding contact of the fuel with the cylinder gases and avoiding, in this way,

the absorption of said gases within the fuel.

. Preferably, this is accomplished by taking the column of gaseous medium into the line from the top of the fuel reservoir, thus utilizing any of the vaporized fuel which is contained over the body of the fuel in the reservoir: A further object is to limit the amount of vacuum which is applied to. the chamber containing the fuel. Again, a further object is to restrict the eriod of application of the pressure from t e cylinder and to utilize the-entire suction interval of the cylinder. This is accomplished preferably by using a by-pass valve which quickly shuts off the pressure but which permits the suction to be always applied from said cylinder. Again, another object is to provide a form of my invention in which the gases are taken into the line to form the column of a gaseous medium through a downwardly directed valve so as to give a better filling interval during the application of the vacuum.

Further objects of my invention will appear from the detailed description hereof contained hereinafter.

While my invention is capable of embodimentin many different forms for the purpose of illustration I have shown only certain forms thereof in the accompanying drawings, in which r Figure 1 is a vertical elevation showing an automobile engine equipped with a feeding dev cemade in accordance with my invention,

Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the feeding apparatus located in the fuel reservoir,

1g.'3 is a section taken on line 33 of Fig. 2 looking in the direction of arrows, and

Fig. 4 is a section of a. modification of my invention. l In the drawings I have shown a fuel feed- 111 apparatus comprising an engine cylinder 1 having an elbow connection 2 located in the top of the same and communicating with the interior of the engine cylinder. The elbow connection 2 communicates with a coil pipe section 3 located immediately in the rear of a fan 4 adapted to be driven from the engine 1 in any desired manner. The coil 3 is connected by a coupling to a restricting memher 5 having a restricted passageway 6 therein and a by-pass 6" provided with a ball-valve 6 which seats against a valve seat 6 in a forward direction to completely close the pas- 'sageway 6*, but which is supported against a stop 6? screw-threaded into the member 5 in such a manner as to leave the passageway 6 open during the suction stroke of the engine, a plug 6 being provided to give access to the interior of the passageway 6 when desired. The said member 5 is connected by a cou pling to a pipe 7 which is coupled in turn to an elbow member 8 riveted into the upper portion of a shell 9 connected by bolts or screws 10 to the upper portion of a fuel reservoir 11. The elbow member 8 within the shell 9 is provided with a laterally directed'extension' 11 provided with a passageway 12 to receive a ball-valve 13, the movement of which is restricted in a downward direction by a pin 14 and the outward movement of which is controlled by a screw-threaded sleeve 15 forming a seat for the ball-valve 1-3, in they out-- Ward movement of the same. The passageway 12 acts as a vent in the manner hereinafter described. The lower portion of the elbow member 8 is coupled to a pipe 16 formed into a helix 17 so as to permit vertical adjustment of the apparatus as hereinafter described. The lower end of the helix 17 is held in its adjusted position by means of a V clamp 18 secured to the lower end of a rod 19 by means of screws 20, 21 and 22. The upper end of the rod 19 is supported in the shell 9 and carries a rotatable nut 23 secured in the same so that by the rotation of the nut 23 the rod 19 may be adjusted upwardly and downwardly, either to adjust the feeding de' dit-ion, through an apertured shell 27 into a primary chamber 28. The primary chamber 28, the closure 26 and the apertured shell 27 may be held together, if desired, by any'number of screws 29. It will be noted that the apertured shell 27 is provided with a vent opening 30 in a downwardly directed annular extension 31 to permit the filling of the chamber 28 with the liquid fuel. The extension 31 has one or more indentations 32 at its lower edge so as to permit the passage of liquid when a plate valve 33 located immediately below the extension 31 is seated against-the same in the upward movement thereof. The movement of the valve 33 in the downward direction is limited by a valve seat 34 formed upon an upturned portion of the chamber 28 which is arranged to provide a large opening 35 for the entry of liquid from the fuel reservoir, the access of dirt being prevented by the presence of a strainer 36 held over the lower end of the chamber 28 by means-of a wire band 37 arranged to hold the strainer 36 in. a notch 38. Pressure which is exerted in the pressure pipe 16 forces the liquid upwardly through the extension 31 and past a plate-valve 39 sup.- ported upon the top of the shell 27 and the upward movement of which is limited by a corrugated edge of an aperture provided in the closure 26 around an opening 40 therein. passes through ,an annular baflle member 41 soldered to the upper portion of the closure 26, the apertures in which assist in the separation of the gaseous materials from the liquid therein. In this way gas pressure accumulates in the chamber 25 and means are provided to maintain a substantially constant level of liquidand a constant degree of gas pressure within the chamber 25 owing to Below the clamp 18 the helical tube The upwardly moving liquid thence place by a spring 44, that is adapted to force the said valve 43 against its seat 45 in said housing. The pressure at which the ballvalve 43 is held against this seat may be'varied by means of a perforated screw 46 extending downwardlyinto the housing 42. As a result the gas pressure which is present in the chamber 25wforces the liquid fuel out of the same through the supply pipe 47 which passes upwardly through, the chamber 25, thence through the support 24 and through the clamp 18 to form. a large helix 48 located around the outside of the smaller helix 17. The upper end of the helix 48 is connected by a coupling to a large elbow member 49 carried in the shell 9 in the same manner asthe elbow member 8 and the outer end of the large elbow member 49 is connected to a supply pipe 50 leading to a carburetor which may be arrangedand constructed in the same' manner as the carburetor referred to in my patent'for pressure feed system for internal combustion engines, Patent No. 1,470,484, filed January 11, 1923. It will be noted, furthermore, that in the shell 9 there is provided a vent opening 51 to/provide access of the atmosphere to the upper surface of the fuel in the reservoir 11.

In Fig. 4 I have shown a further modification of my invention showing a gas intake valve 52 constructed the same as shown in Fig. 2 except that said valve is pointed downwardly inorder to extend the period of the application of the vacuum as far as possible.

In the operation of my invention, as soon as the engine is turned over so as to move the piston in the engine cylinder 1 fuel will be immediately delivered to the carburetor through the supply conduit 50 even though the feeding device and the carburetor had been previously empty, and thereafter the apparatus will provide a continuous supply of.

gasolene to the carburetor as long as the level of the gasolene in the reservoir 11 is high enough to reach the inlet port 35." Thefeeding of the liquid fuel. is accomplished by the forcing from the engine cylinder of a small quantity of the gaseous-materials therein to act through a cooling coil 3 located in the rear of the fan 4 so as to substantially completely cool the same. Thereafter, the gaseous materials contained therein exert their pressure through the restricted passageway 6,

which restricts the amount of the same taken from the engine cylinder, the ball-valve. 6 being seated against its seat 6, thence to the tube 7 and through the elbow member 8 and helix 17 to the chamber 28'where the liquid fuel which is present therein is submitted to the pressure of the gases so as to force the fuel upwardly past the plate-valve 39 together with some of the gaseous materials into the secondary chamber 25 where the gases and liquid are separated, partly with the aid of the annular baflie 41. In this way pressure being conveyed out of the cham er 25 through the pressure valve 43 into the interior .of the reservoir 11. The liquid which is thus maintained under pressure in the secondary chamber 25 is forcedout of the same as needed through the liquid supply pipe 47 to the carburetor of the engine. From this it will be seen that the first forward stroke of the piston in the cylinder 1 forces the liquid forward into the carburetor. Upon the movement of the piston in the opposite direction the valve 13, which has been seated by the pressure so as to close the vent passageway 12, is opened by the release of the pressure so as to vent the chamber 28 through the same thus permitting the filling of the said chamber with liquid fuel from the reservoir 11, which enters the same through the screen 36 and the passageway 35 past the plate .valve 33 ready for forcin the same forward on the next forward stro e of the piston. At the same time when the chamber 28 is vented in this way there is drawn into the elbow 8, the tube 7, the coil 3 and the engine cylinder connected thereto, through the passageway 6 and in a larger amount past the valve 6 which is now unseated, a quantity of the gaseous materials contained in the upper portion of thefuel supply tank 11 so that upon the next forward stroke of the piston in the' engine cylinder the said gaseous materials thus drawn into the line will be forced forwardly through the helix 17 and into-the primary chamber 28 and the secondary chamber 25. The drawing in of a larger amount of the gaseous materials on the suction stroke of the, engine than is forced forwardly on the pressure stroke thereof causes a continual trend of movement rearwardly of the gaseous material toward the engine cylinder thus keeping the pressure line cleared of any substantial quantity of the.

explosive gases from the engine cylinder. This avoids, furthermore, contact between any of the explosive gases from .the engine cylinder and the liquid fuel, inasmuch as on each stroke of the engine piston onl those gases which have been drawn into the line, and

which have not been exploded, actually reach the liquid fuel. In this way the possibility I of the liquid fuel taking up by solution any of the constituents of the exploded gases is avoided and at the same time the avoidance of any contact between the liquid fuel and heated gases is insured. Furthermore, the venting of the ressure line in this way prevents the stoppmg of the feed under certain speed and load conditions, that is to say,

when theengine is operating at high speed,

which might otherwise occur.

It will be understood that the withdrawal of the gases in this way through the vent open- 1 ing 12 into theline will not affect the atmospheric pressure on the liquid fuel in the reservoir 11v owing to the presence of the vent opening 51 therein. Furthermore the air drawn from the upper portion of the fuel reservoir will be carbureted owing to the contact of the liquid therewith and owing to the circulation of a small amount of pressure gases through the liquid therein due to the presence of the'pressure valve 43. Therefore upon the intake stroke of the piston of the engine cylinder there is a certain amount of unthrottled feed of carbureted air fed into the cylinder through the elbow 2 so that when the gases therein are exploded this slight excess in amount of the fuel mixture contained within this particular cylinder will offset thevery slight amount of increase in,cylinder capacity due to the attachment of the elbow 2 and coil v3 to the engine cylinder, thus balancing the engine. However, even if the gaseous medium drawn into the line were not comprised of an explosive mixture the presence of the excess quantity ofgases thus drawn into the cylinder would result in the balancing of the engine. r

Also it will be understood that "when the liquid level in the reservoir 11 has lowered to a point where it is below the inlet port 35 the nut 23 may be operatedto force the feeding apparatus downwardly to some extent thus enabling the apparatus to be used to take advantageof a further quantity of the.

gasolene in the reservoir as an emergency fuel supply; Also it will be understood that in detail I wish. it to be understood that manychanges may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the same.

I claim:

1. In combination with an internal combustion en ine a chamber from which fuel supply of t e en ine is derived, and a conduit from said cham er for delivering the fuel; a conduit from the engine .for communicating suction and pressure to the fuel chamber and means adaptlng said connection for fluid flow therethrough more freely from than sistingof a flow-restricting obstruction in the conduit with aby-pass around said ob struction, and a one-wa Y o enin valve in the byass opening in t e irectlon 'o'fsuction an seating in the direction-of ressure.

2. A liquid uel feeding device avin'g'a connection leading to an engine cylinder to convey pressure therefrom to the liquid fuel toward the fuel chamber, said means confor feeding the same, said connection having means for supporting it in a fuelreservoir and for adjusting the depth to which the feed-4 ing device extends in the reservoir, comprising a coil in said connection.-

3. A liquid fuel feeding device having a Connection leading to an engine cylinder to convey pressure therefrom to the liquid fuel for'feeding the same, said connection having means for supporting it in a fuel reservoir and for adjusting the depth to which the feeding device extends in the reservoir, said fuel feeding device having a fuel delivery conduit provided With a coil therein for the.

adjustment thereof.

4. A liquid fuel feeding device having a connection leading to an engine cylinder to convey pressure therefrom to the liquid fuel for feeding the same, said connection having means for supporting it in a fuel reservoir and for adjusting the depth to which the feeding device extends in the reservoir, comprising an adjustable supporting rod.

5. A liquid fuel feeding device having a connection leading to an engine cylinder to convey pressure therefrom to ,the liquid fuel for feeding the same, said fuel feeding device comprising a shell, containing a valve, as a pressure feeding chamber and means to adjustably sup ort the same from a fuel reser-. voir for furt er extension to utilize a reserve fuel supply, said means comprising a supporting rod for supporting the same from said chamber, and means for securing said shell adjustably on said rod.

6. In combination with an internal combustion engine a pressure chamber from which fuel is supplied to the engine; a conduit from a cylinder of the engine. for communicating pressure in the compression stroke of the piston from said cylinder to said chamber for feeding fuel therefrom;

means in said conduit for admitting atmos- 

